Stardew Valley developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has shared that he never seeks payment when his beloved farm simulator teams up with other titles, explaining he only pursues these collaborations because "[he] was a fan of the other games, or because [he] genuinely thought players would enjoy them."
The statement comes as fans gear up for the crossover between Stardew Valley and Infinity Nikki, set to launch on September 1. While details remain unclear, early reactions from the community have been mixed, with some players questioning the timing, viewing it as a convenient distraction from the recent controversy around leakers.
"There have been a few collaborations between Stardew Valley and other games over the years," Barone posted on X/Twitter yesterday. "To be clear, I never receive any money from these collabs. I've only done them because I was a fan of the other games, or because I genuinely thought the players would like it."
Interestingly, Infinity Nikki replied directly to Barone via its official X/Twitter account.
"We really appreciate you sharing your feelings on this. Any unintended stress was the last thing we wanted. It was our way of saying thanks — a free love letter to Stardew Valley from our team and for the community," the message said.
"Working on it felt like we were all tending a little farm together. The care and detail you pour into your world is exactly why we want to make cozy games too. We're still learning from you every day."
To be fair, the backlash around the Stardew Valley collab seems largely tied to poor timing. The Infinity Nikki community has been dissatisfied since update 1.5 introduced contentious changes, including revisions to Infinity Nikki’s story and increased time and money demands to complete full outfits.
It’s worth noting that Barone doesn’t frequently pursue these partnerships. Stardew Valley has only ever collaborated with a handful of other games, such as Balatro and Terraria.
Back in May, Barone acknowledged he "didn't want to just be the Stardew Valley guy," revealing he’s currently focused on Haunted Chocolatier. A release date isn’t expected anytime soon, though — he recently admitted there’s still "a lot to be done," especially since he feels it "got to be better" than Stardew Valley.
